Introduction to Atlas Magnetics uASIC: Pioneering Integration for Cost and Space-Saving Efficiency
In an era where the optimisation of both costs and space in electronic components is more crucial than ever, Atlas Magnetics stands at the forefront of innovation. With businesses continually seeking ways to reduce their Bill of Materials (BOM) costs without compromising on performance, the challenge has been palpable. This is where Atlas Magnetics comes into play, offering a transformative solution that addresses both these critical aspects.
Atlas Magnetics, known for its cutting-edge approach, introduces a novel way to integrate passive components into a single, compact module. This technology is not just a step towards miniaturisation but a leap towards redefining the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of electronic designs. The integration of passives into a single module is a game-changer, promising to dramatically reduce BOM costs and the size of electronic circuits.
The promise of Atlas Magnetics lies in its innovative approach to solving a long-standing problem in the electronics industry. By consolidating multiple passive components into one, businesses can look forward to designs that are not only more cost-effective but also more robust and space-efficient. This introductory exploration into Atlas Magnetics' offering is just the beginning of understanding how their solutions can revolutionise electronic component design and procurement.
The Problem with Traditional Passives & Discretes
The journey towards miniaturisation and cost reduction in electronics has been significantly hampered by traditional passive components. These components, including resistors, capacitors, and inductors, are indispensable in circuit design but introduce several challenges. Firstly, they consume valuable PCB (Printed Circuit Board) space, limiting the potential for compact device designs. This issue, often referred to as "circuit trash," not only affects the physical footprint but also complicates the design and assembly process, leading to increased engineering and production costs.
Moreover, sourcing these traditional passives can be fraught with difficulties. The vast array of specifications required for different applications means engineers often spend considerable time finding suitable components. This sourcing challenge is exacerbated by market fluctuations, leading to variability in costs and availability.
Another significant issue is the cost associated with these components. While individual passive components may seem inexpensive, their cumulative cost can be substantial, especially when considering the total cost of ownership that includes sourcing, inventory management, and assembly.
Lastly, traditional passive and discrete components offer limited customisation options. Engineers are forced to design around standard components, which can compromise the optimal performance and efficiency of the final product.
In summary, the reliance on traditional passive components introduces limitations in design flexibility, increases production costs, and complicates supply chain management. Atlas Magnetics’ innovative solution addresses these challenges head-on, promising a new era of efficiency and cost-effectiveness in electronics design.
Atlas Magnetics’ Solution: uASIC to replace passives and discretes
At the heart of Atlas Magnetics' innovative strategy lies the µASIC technology, a pioneering solution crafted to tackle the inefficiencies and limitations of traditional passive and discrete components. µASIC stands as a testament to the company's commitment towards redefining electronic design, offering a unified module that integrates multiple passive components into a singular, highly efficient package. This ground-breaking approach not only promises substantial reductions in power consumption and costs but also significantly simplifies the design and manufacturing processes.
The µASIC technology is designed with versatility in mind, ensuring that it can be adapted to a wide range of applications and requirements. This adaptability is a cornerstone of what Atlas Magnetics refers to as the "µASIC Pledge," guaranteeing that engineers can achieve optimised designs without the constraints imposed by traditional passives. By reducing the number of discrete components, µASIC technology enables more compact, reliable, and cost-effective electronic devices. Think of it as equivalent to an FPGA approach to replace passives and discretes, but better.
Moreover, Atlas Magnetics places a strong emphasis on reducing the ecological footprint of electronic designs. By minimising the number of components and hence the overall material use, µASIC technology contributes to more sustainable manufacturing practices.
In essence, µASIC technology represents a leap forward in electronic design, offering a solution that not only enhances efficiency and reduces costs but also aligns with the growing demand for environmentally responsible manufacturing processes.
Product Portfolio Overview
Atlas Magnetics offers a comprehensive range of products designed to cater to a wide array of electronic design needs. Central to their offering is the innovative µASIC technology, which revolutionises the integration of passive components. Beyond µASIC, their portfolio extends to include power delivery solutions and advanced load switches, each tailored to enhance efficiency, reliability, and performance.
µASIC Products: These modules embody the essence of Atlas Magnetics' innovation, integrating multiple passive components into a singular, efficient package. They are pivotal for designers looking to reduce BOM costs and simplify their circuits without compromising on performance.
Power Delivery Solutions: Atlas Magnetics provides robust solutions for power management, ensuring reliable and efficient power delivery across various applications. These solutions are crucial for optimising power usage and enhancing the longevity of electronic devices.
Load Switches: With an emphasis on versatility and efficiency, their load switches offer precise control over power distribution. These components are integral for modern electronic devices that demand intelligent power management to enhance performance and reduce energy consumption.
The Atlas Magnetics product range is not just about individual components but a holistic approach to solving the complex challenges of modern electronic design. By offering a blend of innovative integration technologies and high-performance power management solutions, Atlas Magnetics is paving the way for more efficient, compact, and cost-effective electronic devices.
Specification Table for Atlas Magnetics µASICS
Specification | AM1U1108 | AM1U1112 / 1212 | AM1U1116 / 1216 | AM1U1120 / 1220 | AM1U1124 / 1224 |
Package | 8-pin TQFN (1.0×1.2×0.42mm) | 12-pin TQFN (1.8×2.6×0.42mm) | 16-pin TQFN (1.8×2.6×0.42mm) | 20-pin TQFN (2.0×3.0×0.42mm) | 24-pin TQFN (3.0×3.0×0.42mm) |
GPIO | 6 | 10-Sep | 14/13 | 18/17 | 22/21 |
VDD | 1.71 - 5.5 | 1.71 - 5.5 | 1.71 - 5.5 | 1.71 - 5.5 | 1.71 - 5.5 |
ACMP | - | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
TMR | 4 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
LUT | 10 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 |
DFF/LATCH | 6 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
Pipe Delay | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Prog. DLY | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Pattern Gen | - | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
OSC | 25kHz/2MHz | 25kHz/2MHz-25MHz | 25kHz/2MHz-25MHz | 25kHz/2MHz-25MHz | 25kHz/2MHz-25MHz |
I2C | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Temp Sensor | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
W/S controller | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Vref | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Packaging | TQFN | TQFN | TQFN | TQFN | TQFN |
Advantages of Atlas Magnetics µASIC Modules
Atlas Magnetics modules stand out in the competitive landscape for their innovative integration of passive components, which offers a multitude of advantages:
µASIC eliminates pain points of other configurable ICs:
Low-power - Iq as low as 500nA
Low cost / Smaller area - replace 10 components
Asynchronous design - responds in ns not µs
Any-to-any connections - route any macrocell to any other, unlike and FPGA
Uniform macrocells - easy to transfer / upgrade design as needed
Higher Quality - configured by hardware so never crashes; FIT rate improved
Atlas Magnetics’ µASIC technology offers transformative advantages for electronic designs. Its low-power consumption, as little as 500nA, ensures efficiency in operation, making it ideal for battery-powered devices. This technology significantly reduces costs and circuit area by integrating up to 10 components into one, streamlining design complexity. With its asynchronous design, µASIC responds in nanoseconds, offering rapid reaction times compared to traditional microsecond responses. The flexible any-to-any connections surpass the limitations of FPGA by allowing seamless routing between macrocells. Uniform macrocells facilitate easy upgrades and transfers, enhancing design scalability. Moreover, µASIC's high-quality configuration, being hardware-defined, virtually eliminates crashes and significantly improves the Failure In Time (FIT) rate, ensuring reliability and longevity in applications.
Customisation and Flexibility: Despite the high level of integration, Atlas Magnetics offers customisation options to meet specific design requirements, providing flexibility without compromising on efficiency or performance.
These benefits collectively represent a significant leap forward in electronic component design and manufacturing, offering tangible advantages to businesses looking to innovate while reducing costs and optimising space.
Real-world Applications and Benefits
Atlas Magnetics’ innovative modules have a wide range of applications across various industries, offering tangible benefits that address key challenges in electronic design and manufacturing:
Wearable Technology: In the rapidly growing wearable market, Atlas Magnetics modules enable the production of more compact, efficient, and durable devices. Their space-saving design allows for additional functionality in smaller form factors, essential for wearable tech.
Automotive Electronics: For the automotive sector, reliability and efficiency are paramount. Atlas Magnetics’ solutions contribute to safer, more reliable automotive systems by providing robust power management and component integration, crucial for meeting the stringent standards of automotive electronics.
Consumer Electronics: In consumer devices like smartphones and tablets, space and power efficiency directly contribute to the product's appeal and functionality. Atlas Magnetics' technology allows for thinner, lighter devices with longer battery life, enhancing user experience.
Industrial Automation: The integration and efficiency offered by Atlas Magnetics are vital for industrial automation applications, where reliability and compact design facilitate more sophisticated and robust automation solutions.
Telecommunications: Atlas Magnetics modules support the development of more efficient telecommunications equipment, essential for the expansion of global connectivity. Their solutions help in managing the power and integration needs of increasingly complex telecom infrastructure.
These examples illustrate how Atlas Magnetics’ modules not only provide significant BOM cost savings and space reductions but also enhance product reliability, performance, and market competitiveness across diverse sectors. Their technology enables companies to push the boundaries of what’s possible in electronic design, leading to innovative products that meet the demands of modern consumers and industries.
Design and Customisation Process
To get started with your µASIC project, follow the simple 3-Step process below:
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Given the nature of the software, you need to provide registration details so we can provide the appropriate solution. Once you have the software, you can use the intuitive schematic capture tools to create your system using drag and drop. We recommend ordering the Atlas Magnetics Ferro Evaluation Board which connects to your PC via USB which allows you to fully emulate and test your design.
Probe points around the board allow you to drive your design with signals from the EDA software that emulate real world conditions to fully road test your system. To order your evaluation board, contact Ineltek here.
Conclusion
As we've explored the innovative world of Atlas Magnetics, it's clear that their solutions offer a ground-breaking approach to reducing BOM costs and optimising space in electronic designs. Through their pioneering µASIC technology and a comprehensive product portfolio, Atlas Magnetics is set to transform the electronics industry. Their commitment to efficiency, reliability, and sustainability positions them as a key partner for businesses looking to push the boundaries of what's possible in electronic component integration.
Contact Ineltek today to arrange demo, pricing and access the development software.